Monaco-Nice Ligue 1 match postponed due to French Yellow Vest crisis

Paris, Dec 6: The Ligue 1 match duel between AS Monaco and OGC Nice has been suspended amid the political crisis caused by ongoing social protests sweeping across France, the Ligue de Football Professionnel announced on Thursday.

The match that was scheduled to be played Friday at the Stade Louis II in Monaco has been suspended upon a request from the government of the Principality of Monaco, said Ligue 1 in a statement, adding that the Monaco-Nice match would be postponed to a later date, reports Efe.

According to local media, French authorities want to utilize the available security forces to contain the demonstrations scheduled for Saturday; the upcoming protests constitute the fourth consecutive round of protests throughout France.

Demonstrators - known as the "Yellow Vests" due to the emblematic high-visibility vests for motorists they wear - have been striking a number of social demands after the initial protests were sparked by a surge in fuel prices derived from a government-imposed increase in carbon taxes on diesel.

The Monaco-Nice match has become the fourth Matchday 17 duel to be postponed, in addition to Saturday's Paris Saint-Germain-Montpellier and Toulouse-Olympique Lyonnais, as well as Sunday's Saint-Etienne-Olympique de Marseille.